BARCIK along with other associate organizations observed the world environment day yesterday 5 June, 2023 in its working areas namely Netrakona, Satkhira, Manikgonj and Rajshahi. Bearing the theme of the very day which is Solutions to ‘Plastic Pollution’ the organization arranged various programs and events to create awareness among the community and people in the working areas.
The organization organized different activities such as plastic strike, tree plantation, discussions, rallies and demonstrations urging the people to stop using plastic in their day to day life to save the environment from pollution. In addition, through these events and programs the organization tried to persuade the state authorities taking action to stop the plastic pollutions through inviting the government representatives in those events a chief and special guests. People of different classes and occupations such as government representatives, journalists, students, teachers, development activists and environmentalists, youths and women participated in those activities to mark the environment day.
In a plastic strike organized jointly by BARCIK and youth organizations in Rajshahi city Mahbub Tunku, convenor of Rajshahi Environment Movement and Unity Council, said, “Environmental protection law has been formulated, but we do not see the implementation of that law. Despite the prohibition of the High Court plastic polythene is being used in elections.’ He said that in the election law, plastic and polythene are used in all cases, including campaigning. This should be discouraged.
On the other hand, in a campaign rally organized in Satkhira by BARCIK and youth organization speakers said that including the negative effects of natural disasters, man-made development disasters and climate change, the world today is facing a dire crisis for plastic pollution.
Biodiversity is being destroyed today due to plastic pollution as well as human health is seriously threatened by the pollution. They said that environment friendly development is hindered by this plastic pollution. Due to the widespread use of plastic and polythene, rivers, canals and even the environment of the Sundarbans are being poisoned today.
Meanwhile in a discussion and tree plantation event arranged in Horirampur sub-district of Manikgonj a school teacher Shahinur Islam said, “If we want to survive, we have to sustain the environment by planting native trees. All life forms in the nature share intricate relationship with each other. Therefore, to make the environment sustainable we should protect and save the elements of the nature.’
In addition, in the joint event arranged by the district administration of Netrakona where BARCIK and other non-governmental organizations participated the discussants said, ‘plastic aggression can be stopped only through the awareness and continuous social movement of the government, producers, users.’ The said that plastic has contaminated the rivers, soil, nature, wetlands, and even human bodies. Plastic is found in our foods. It is the silent killer. Therefore, to protect the environment and even human and other life forms initiative should be taken to ban the use of plastic.’